Fruit-carrier.



CHARLES A.WELLMA1\1, or oTTUMWA, IOWA.

V FRUIT-CARRIER.

, Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

. Application filed. December 29, 1905. .Serial No. 293,832.

To all whom it may concern:

B e 1t known that I, OHAnLEs A.WELLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ottumwa, county of Wapello, State of Iowa,

have invented certain new and useful. l mrovements 1n Bruit-Carriers, of which the followlng 1s a full and complete specification,

reference being had'to the accompanying drawings. r

This invention relates to shipping cases or crates for carrying fruit and other articles, and articularly to crates adapted to carry a bunc of bananas, such crates being known in the trade as banana-traps 7 My two applications No. 252,359, filed March 27, 1905 and allowed July 11, 1905, and No. 278,921, filed Se tember 18, 1905 and now ending in the latent Office, describe and claim this class of crate su ported on rollers and adapted to be moved from place to place without excessive wear on the lower end of the crate, thus securing greater ease in handling and very materially lengthening the period of usefulness of the crate. It is desirable in some instances, however, to have traps or crates rest solidly upon the floor or ground, and yet be provided with suitable roller supports when tilted into position to be dragged from place to place, and it is the object of my present invention to provide a construction adapted to attain these ends. I accomplish this object by means of the devices s own in the drawings and hereinafter described.

That which I believe to be new will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a crate providedwith my improved devices. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section at line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of one of my improved brackets and rollers, showing in section thepart of the crate to which the bracket is attached. Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings :5 indicates the staves of an ordinary crate, and 6 the intermediate hoops to which the staves 5 are attached in any suitable manner.

7 is an up or outside hoop, nailed or otherwise secure to the staves at the top of the crate. 1

8-9 indicate inner and outer hoops respectively, secured to the staves at the bottom of the crate in any suitable manner, or in the manner hereinafter specifically described.

A. ohannel-iron, composed of inner and outer flanges 10 and 11 respectively, and web 12, partially incloses the hoops 8 and 9 and the lower ends of the staves 5. The flange 11 is provided with holes through which ass nails 13 which are clenched on the insi e of thehoop 8, and the flanges 10 and 11 are provided with suitable holes in register through which pass nails 14, which are clenched on the inside of the flange 10. The channeliron may, however, be secured to the crate in any other suitable manner. The flange 11 is provided with two outwardly-projecting ears 16, preferably made integral with the flange'portion 11. These parts 10, 11, 12 and 16 form a bracket adapted to su port a wheel or roller 17 which is mounted loosely on an axle 18 which passes through suitable holes in register in the two ears 16, said axle being securedin any suitable manner. The holes in the ears 16 are so located, and the size of the roller 17 is such that the lowest point of the bearing surface of roller 17 is a short distance above the floor on which the device as a'whole rests. The crate is to be provided with a plurality of brackets and rollers arranged at intervals around the crate so that in whichever direction the crate may be tilted when it is to be moved from place to place one or more of the rollers will come in contact with the floor.

The means for holding the fruit securely in the crate forms no art of this invention, and is therefore not s own.

In use, when it is desired to move the crate containing fruit or other article or articles, the crateis grasped at the top in any suitable manner, tilted at an angle, and dragged along over the floor or sidewalk. Immediately on tilting the crate to any considerable extent, the weight of the crate is transferred from the outer faces of the webs 12 to one, or possibly two, of the rollers upon the side toward which the crate is tilted, the ears 16 being so shaped, as shown in the drawings, as to permit the roller to bear on the floor over which the crate is being dragged. .-When the operation of moving the crate is completed, the crate is allowed to assume its normal position, the weight coming again on the outer faces of the webs 12.

- What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A shipping case having a bottom rim or hoop, and a series of brackets attached thereto, said brackets provided with portions upon which the case is adapted to rest when in an upright position, and a roller journaled in each bracket a short distance above the floor, upon one or more of which rollers the case is adapted to hear when it is tilted. V

2. The combination with a shipping case, of a series of brackets arranged around the perimeter thereof adapted to rest when in an uprig 1 position,

a pair of outstanding ears formed integral with each. braciret, and a roiier ]0U.1l1l.i8(l

between the ears of each bracket and positioned so that its periphery will be elevated above the floor, substantlailv as described. 3. A. shlppmg case comprising a bottom upon which the case is rim upon one or more oi" w rim or hoop having staves attached thereto,

a series of brackets arranged around the 1 perimeter or the rim or hoop, iastening devices passing through brackets and through the rim or hoop and staves, said brackets inner iiaving portiriins V which the use may rest when in an 11 r position, and a roller carried by soil a snort distance e above the iloor, u in one or more of which rollers the case is adapted to hear when tiited.

4. I; shipping ease comprisng; a imitum rim having staves atlurhed 1 reio, a series of brackets arranged 1 mid the perimeter of the rim and einhraei "he l ottoin and outer faces liiereoi fastening i W 5-:eis,riii1an i and means passing tiil'oufg-ii Oder carried ov (:Mi! iii'aiet rt distance aliove the star es, and a a i i roiiers the case is adapted lo hear when tilled 

